Arginine and taurine - dietary factors preventing cardiovascular diseases?

The risk of cardiovascular diseases can be reduced by a change in lifestyle , including dietary habits. A diet which includes an intake of fat < 30 ene rgy%, of which saturated fatty acids should be < 10 energy%, and a choleste rol intake < 300 mg/day has been recommended to lower the cardiovascular ri sk. Recent experimental results as well as epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that the amino acids L-arginine, as an NO precursor, and taurine, as degradation product of sulfur-containing amino acids, could have cardiop rotective properties. A balanced diet, which contains an adequate amount of saltwater fish, meat and cheese as well as nuts and legumes, probably ensu res an adequate intake of L-arginine and taurine. However, the present data do not yet allow a final judgement of how far a preventive supplementation of L-arginine and taurine is indicated in persons at cardiovascular risk. Prospective interventional studies are required to answer these questions.